Resilient automobile-buffer



G. A. LYON.

RESILIENT AUTOMOBILE BUFFER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10. 1920.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

UNlTED STATES GEORGE ALBERT LYON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA..

RESILIENT auromoBiLE-iurrnn. l

Specification of Letters Patent. l

Application ledlebruary 10, 1920. SeriaLNo. 357,75?.

To all whom-'5t may concer/n.:

Be `it known that I, GEORGE ALBERT LYON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Resilient Automobile-Buffers, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates especially to resilient buffers adapted for use on automobiles or other vehicles and which may comprise end loop attaching members .formed of spring strip and preferably having duplex or looped connector portions extendingv inward toward the center of the buffer front. These connector portions may be adjustably or otherwise connected together by coperating connector members of any suitable character, comprising if desired, one or more reinforcing strips or members, duplex alining or channel lconnector members'being advantageous for this purpose and more or less inclosiiig or clamping around the connector portions of the end loop attaching members so as to rigidly support them in adjusted position. Such connector members may comprise two generally similarv channel members adapted to inclose and more or less aline the connector portions and be clamped or secured theretoas by connector bolts passing through or around these con-4 nector members.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a lan view partl in section showing illustrative form of bu er.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '3 is a plan View of another buffe partly in section.`

Eig. 3a is. an enlarged transverse section thereof taken along the line 3* of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another construction, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section along theline 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Although not .in all cases necessary the buffer may advantageously comprise two generally similar end loop attaching members each formed of one or more strips of spring steel or otherresilient material. As indicated in Fig. 1 each of these members may in some cases be formed of a single strip of spring steel a quarter of an inch or so thiclz and two inches lor so wide in a vertical direction, an attachin member or portion 1l having the outwar ly curved ylelding portion 10,

which at about the point 9 may extend subv Patented Aug. 2', 1921..`

each member comprising portion 13 may extend outward and have a sti'ening end 12 clamped or bolted to the cooperating part of the member 9 as by the inclosing clamp or clip 18 holding both of these strips closely and rigidly together when the bolt or nut 17 is tightened. A single spring steel 'strip of such general character may be bent up in this shape preferably irst forming the connector loop 7 of such width as to accommodate the connector 'bolts to be used and then thereafter the end loop 8 and other portions by means of suitable forms and bending devices, so that after hardening and tempering the one piece end loop attaching member may be finished, polished andf'lacquered for assembly or sale. may be adjustably and securely connected by vany suitable coperating connector members preferably of a duplex alining character which may comprise one or more channel' alining connectors if desired. Fig. 2

'extending through slots or holes in the connector members and through the relatively tight litting or narrow openings between the connector portions of the attaching menibers. Screwing up these'bolts rigidly connects the cooperating connector portions and also holds them in vertical alinement so that rattling and shaking is prevented under runningy conditions of the vehicle while under collision conditions the connector portions amply project into the connector members at the central part of the buffer so that any collision strains are carried out- Ward and transmitted through the out-l wardly extending resilient strip members. This form of buil'er also forms a convenient and relatively small package for shipment and sale and may, as indicated, be readily purpose. Each generally similar member of spring steel or other resilient str1 may curve porhave the outwardly extendin tion 23 and end loop 22, whie the member may have duplex connector portlons 19--20 terminating in the narrow connector loop 21 if desired. The inner attaching end 26 may be brought up in the form of acurved portion 24 to give additional yielding strength to this part of the buffer. Any suitable form of more or less resilient and strong coni shown in Fig. 1

nector devices may be used to connect preferably in an adjustable way these coperating connector ortions and for this purpose such duplex c annel connector members as shown in Fig. 3 may be used in this case or to connect the receding type vof buffer ghe connector member 4 may have the alining flanges 1, 2, while the lower member 3 has similar flanges 41, 42 of such size and shape as to lit down around the connector portions of the two buffer members and hold them in alinement and connect them in a vertically rigid manner, when these connector members are lclamped or forced together as by the bolts 14. Anydesired number of such bolts may be used and may be tightened bythe nuts and lock washers shown to securely connect the buffer members, preferably after each has been loosely secured or clamped lto theautomobile frame member.

Fig. 4 shows still another arrangement in which a different form of duplex channel connector member is used to connect and aline the coperating buffer members. These buffer members may comprise the `inwardly extending connector portions 35, formed, if desired, with integral end loops 36 and curved yielding portions 37 .connected to the attaching members 38. One or more front reinforcing strips or members may be used in overlapping engagement with the strip ends 35 if desired, and all of these front strips or members may be alined and connected by suitable duplex channel connector members of they type shown in Fig. y5 in which the channel connector member 28 may be formed with the curved alining flanges 30, 32, while the coperating channel connector 29 has the generally similar flanges 31, 33. These coperating connector members ma be clamped around the buffer strips or mem ers by two or more bolts 39 which may advantageously have rounded ornawelding or.

mental heads in front of the buffer while the nuts and lock washers 40 extend to the rear of this front portion. By forming-suitable slots or series of adjusting holes in some of the members such as the connector Ystrip ends 35, lateral adjustment may be secured s in this type of construction.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative forms, pro ortons, parts, arrangements, materials, met ods of connection and use, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: 1. TheA automobile buffer comprising two generally similar one piece end loop attaching members formed of resilient spring steel strip and each comprising inwardly extending duplex connector portions having a narrow connector loop and a rear connector portion having a stiiening end clamped to the rear portionA of the end loop and cooperating duplex alining connector members'com rising two similar channel connectors to t vertically over the duplex connector portions of said attaching members adjacent the connector loops thereof and clamping bolts passing through said conynector members and connector portions adrigid osition.

he automobile buffer comprising two end loop attaching members formed of re silient strip and each comprising inwardly extending duplex connector portions having a narrow connector loop and coperating duplex alining connector members comprising two similar channel connectors to. fit vertically over the duplex connector portions of sald attaching members adjacent the connector loops thereof and clamping bolts passing through said connector'members and 110 connector portions adjacent said connector loops to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically r' `d position.

3. The automobile bu er comprising two end loop attaching'members formed of re- 115 silient strip and each comprising inwardly extending duplex connector portions having a narrow connector loop and coperating duplex alining connector members comprising connectors to en age the duplex connector portions of sald attaching members adjacent the connector loops thereof and cooperating clamping means to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically rigid osition.

4. 'Iphe automobile buffer comprising two generally similar one piece end loop attaching members formed of resilient strip and each comprising inwardly extending duplex looped end connector portions adapted to be 130 releasably connected and a rear connector portion having a stitlening end clamped to the rear portion of the end loop and cooperating alining connector members to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically rigid position.

5. The automobile buffer comprising two generally similar end loop attaching members formed of resilient strip and each comprising inwardly extending duplex looped end connector portionsadapted to be releasably connected and arear connector portion having a stiiening end clamped to the rear portion of the member.

6. The automobile buffer comprising two generally similar end loop attaching members formed of resilient strip and each comprising .inwardly extending horizontally overlapping duplex connector portions adapted to be releasably connected.

7. The automobile buiier comprising generally similar one piece end loop attaching members formed of vertically arranged resilient spring steel strip and each comprising an end loop adapted to project into protective position adjacent the vehicle wheel and inwardly extending narrow duplex connector portions having a narrow connector loop and adapted to be adjustably secured in vertically rigid position.

8. The automobile buti'er comprising end loop attaching members formed of vertically arranged resilient spring steel strip and each comprising an end loop adapted to project into protective position adjacent the vehicle wheel and inwardly extending narrow duplex connector portions, each having horizontally overlapping portions of said strip.

9. The automobile. buffer comprising attaching members formed of vertically arranged resilient spring steel strip and each comprising an inwardly extending narrow duplex connector' portion having horizontally overlapping portions.

10. The automobile buier comprising attaching members each comprising an inwardly extending narrow duplex connector portion formed of vertically arranged resilient strip and having a narrow connector loop and coperating duplex alining ponnector members comprising two similar channel connectors to fit vertically over the duplex connector portio-ns of said attaching members and clamping bolts passing through said connector members and connector portions adjacent said connector loops to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically rigid position.

1l. The automobile buffer comprising attaching members each comprising an inwardly extending narrow duplex connector portion formed of vertically arranged resilient strip and coperating alinin connector members comprising a channe vconnector to lit vertically over the duplex connector portions of said attaching members and clamping bolts passing through said connector members and connector portions adjacent said connector loops to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically rigid position.

12. The automobile buffer comprising attaching members each comprising an inwardly extending narrow duplex connector portion formed of vertically arranged resilient strip and cooperating alining connector members comprising a channel connector to tit vertically over the duplex connector portions of said attaching members and clamping means to secure said connector portions in vertically rigid position.

13. The automobile buffer comprising inwardly extending narrow vertically arranged duplex connector portions and cooperating alining connector members comprising channel connectors to fit vertically over said connector portions and clamping devices engaging said connector members to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically 4rigid position.

14. The automobile buffer comprising inwardly extending narrow vertically arranged connector portions and coperating alining connector members comprising channel connectors to fit over said connector portions and clamping devices engaging said connector members to adjustably secure said connector portions in vertically rigid posil tion.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

